Ideal, — from the pleasant, active, animated school, such as

we conceive it to-day, — there is none the less obligation to

do justice to La Salle, to pardon him for the practices which

were those of his time, and to admire him for the good

qualities that were peculiarly his own. The criticism that is

CATHOLICISM AND PRIMARY INSTRUCTION. 277

truly fruitful, is that which is especially directed to the

good, without caviling at the bad. 1

[301. Analytical Summary. — 1. This study exhibits the

zeal of the Catholic Church in the education of the children

of the poor. The motive was not the spirit of domination,

as in the case of the Jesuits, but a sincere desire to engage

in a humane work.

2. A proof of the multiplication of schools, and so of the

diffusion of the new educational spirit, is the wretched

quality of those who were allowed to teach. There must be

schools even if they are poor ones.

3. The need of competent teachers led to the establish-

ment of the Teachers' Seminary, the parent of the modern

normal school. The two elements in this professional

instruction seem to have been a knowledge of the subjects

to be taught and of methods of organization and discipline.

4. The severe discipline and enforced silence of La Salle's

schools permit the inference that the school of the period

was the scene of lawlessness and disorder. The reaction

went to an extreme ; but considering the times, this excess

was a virtue.

5. The scarcity of teachers and the abundance of pupils

led to the expedient of mutual and simultaneous instruction.

While this method is absolutely bad, it was relatively good.

6. To the benevolent and inventive spirit of La Salle is

due the organization of industrial schools.]

1 The influence of the teaching congregations in general, and of this one

in particular, on puhlic education as administered by the State, is very

strikingly exhibited by Meunier in his Lutte cht Principe Clerical et du

Principe Laique dans V Enseignement (Paris: 1861). There is also inter-

esting information concerning La Salle. See particularly the introductory

Letter and Chaps. I. aud II. (P.)

CHAPTER XIII.

ROUSSEAU AND THE EMILE.

THE PEDAGOGT OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY; THE PRECURSORS OF

ROUSSEAU; THE ABBE DE SAINT PIERRE; OTHER INSPIRERS OF

ROUSSEAU; PUBLICATION OF THE EMILE (1762); ROUSSEAU AS A

teacher; general principles of the emile; its romantic

and utopian character ; division of the work j the first two

books j education of the body and of the senses ; let nature

act j the mother to nurse her own children j negative edu-

cation ; the child's right to happiness, the third book of

the emile j choice in the things to be taught j the abbe

de saint pierre and rousseau j emile at fifteen; education of

the sensibilities ) the fourth book of the emile j genesis

of the affections; moral education; religious education;

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH OF THE SAVOYARD VICAR J SOPHIE

AND THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN J GENERAL CONCLUSION J INFLU-

ENCE OF ROUSSEAU J ANALYTICAL SUMMARY.